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Long Range Plan
ANDERSON PUBLIC LIBRARY
LONG RANGE PLAN
2013-2015
Mission Statement: Anderson Public Library informs, connects, engages, and empowers. A. Statement of Community Needs and Goals Anderson Public Library (APL) used focus groups and information gathered by other agencies to determine the needs and goals of our community members. The focus groups were: Network 101, Anderson Literacy Coalition, Anderson Area Youth Leadership Academy, APL Teen Advisory Board, Economic Leadership Group, and Anderson Small Business Group. United Way generously shared information they gathered during Community Conversations they have conducted. We also used the long range plans from the City of Anderson, the Town of Lapel, and the Early Literacy Committee.The community needs articulated by the different groups are: 1. A strong educational system 2. More opportunities for youth 3. Better employment opportunities 4. More cultural opportunities 5. Economic development The community goals articulated by the different groups are: 1. Offer more cultural programs 2. Offer job searching assistance 3. Offer job application and resume review services 4. Offer resources for making various life decisions 5. Offer more public meeting places B. Service Responses 1. Build Successful Enterprises: Business and Nonprofit Support Business owners and nonprofit organizations’ directors and their managers will have the tools they need to develop and maintain strong, viable organizations. Goal A: The Library will support local businesses and nonprofit organizations by supplying information, services, and resources to assist in the development and maintenance of strong, viable organizations. 1. Objective: Provide information, services, and resources to assist community members interested in starting new businesses or improving and expanding existing businesses. Activities: 1. Purchase books on starting a business and writing a business plan. (annually) 2. Subscribe to business-related periodicals. (annually) 3. Subscribe to business-related databases, such as Reference USA and INSPIRE’s Small Business Resource Center. (annually) 4. Provide APL’s New Business Start-Up Packet. (annually) 5. Partner with other organizations to provide programs on appropriate topics. (annually) 6. Provide free or low-cost business-related services such as Internet access, printing, copying, faxing, and scanning. (annually) 7. Provide in-house and/or outreach demonstrations of Reference USA to inform business owners of the business-related tasks they can complete through this database. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($6,000) 2. Supplies ($600) 3. Capital Outlays ($48,500) 2. Objective: Provide information, services, and resources to assist nonprofit organizations in maintaining, improving, and expanding their existing organizations. Activities: 1. Purchase books on nonprofit-related topics. (annually) 2. Subscribe to the Foundation Directory database. (annually) 3. Purchase the Foundation Directory in print format. (annually) 4. Subscribe to Reference USA. (annually) 5. Provide at least two Foundation Center workshops per year. (annually) 6. Partner with other organizations/individuals to provide programs on appropriate topics. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($5,500) 2. Supplies ($600) 3. Capital Outlays ($3,462) Goal B: The Library will support local businesses and government agencies by creating and facilitating a web page development class to assist them in establishing an online presence. 1. Objective: Create and facilitate a web page development class to assist business owners and governmental officials interested in establishing an online presence. Activities: 1. Devise a timeframe/schedule for the class. (annually) 2. Purchase web page development books. (annually) 3. Facilitate the class. (annually or more often as needed) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($8,000) 2. Supplies ($600) 3. Other Services and Charges ($1,000) 2. Objective: Promote web page development class to business owners and governmental officials. Activities: 1. Create a web banner to promote the class. (annually) 2. Promote the class on WHBU radio shows. (annually) 3. Promote the class in all our normal venues. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($1,000) 2. Celebrate Diversity: Cultural Awareness Residents will have programs and services that promote appreciation and understanding of their personal heritage and the heritage of others in the community. Goal A: The Library will support local residents’ personal heritage by supplying information, services, and resources that promote appreciation and understanding of various cultures. 1. Objective: Provide multicultural information, services, and resources to educate and entertain residents of all ages. Activities: 1. Purchase appropriate materials. (annually) 2. Subscribe to Rocket Languages. (annually) 3. Provide in-house and/or outreach demonstrations of Rocket Languages to various groups/organizations/individuals. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($12,000) 2. Supplies ($800) 3. Capital Outlays ($7,000) 2. Objective: Provide multicultural programs to educate and entertain residents of all ages. Activities: 1. Incorporate diversity in a children’s storytime once a month. (2013) 2. Provide teen Culture Club programs twice per year. (2013) 3. Provide at least one multicultural dance performance each year. (2014) 4. Provide at least one multicultural music performances each year. (2014) 5. Provide a Multicultural Food and Fun Fair for all ages. (2014) 6. Locate a volunteer to assist with translating and networking within the local Hispanic community if needed. (2012) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($1,000) 3. Create Young Readers: Early Literacy Children from birth to age five will have programs and services designed to ensure that they will enter school ready to learn to read, write, and listen. Goal A: Provide quality early literacy programs for residents of our community. 1. Objective: Prepare babies, toddlers and preschoolers with the experience and skills needed for school readiness. Activities: 1. Babies – present 20 baby programs based on ECRR (Every Child Ready to Read) principles and emphasizing traditional nursery rhymes. (annually) 2. Toddlers – present 20 toddler programs based on ECRR principles and emphasizing sensory exploration. (annually) 3. Preschoolers – present 20 preschool programs based on ECRR principles. (annually) 4. Present 14 Family Literacy Night programs. (annually) 5. Provide 300 storytimes in Early Literacy Center classrooms. (annually) 6. Deliver books to 20 Early Literacy Centers. (annually) 7. Present 10 Family programs at the Lapel Branch. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($48,000) 2. Capital Outlays ($8,000) 2. Objective: Equip parents and caregivers with skills they can use outside the library to create young readers. Activities: 1. Offer 60 “You, Too!” programs where parents can network and learn ECRR principles. (annually) 2. Demonstrate AWE (Early Literacy) computers for parents during four storytimes. (annually) 3. Teach traditional nursery rhymes during 75 baby and toddler storytimes. (annually) 4. Highlight one parent caregiver resource from our collection at “You, Too!” sessions each month. (annually) 5. Present an “at home activities” workshop for parents and caregivers to encourage them to create activities for their children at home. (2014) 6. Use Tumble Books during storytimes once a quarter to encourage parents and caregivers to use the resource at home. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($1,800) 2. Supplies ($300) 3. Objective: Partner with the schools to promote reading for pleasure and to provide information to school age children. Activities: 1. Partner with Anderson Community School Corporation and Frankton-Lapel schools to create a communication channel to elementary school teachers. (2013) 2. Create fun, short, informative messages for teachers to promote library programs, services, and materials to students. 3. Create a list of teachers to email program announcements to. (2013) 4. Attend kindergarten open houses to promote library services and issue library cards. (2014) 5. Use bookmark flyers, school websites, and social media to advertise programs, services, and collections directly to students. (2014) 6. Create a flyer for parents promoting library programs and services and leave at school offices for parents. (2013) 7. Present five curriculum-based, in-class programs during the school year. (2014) 8. Make four presentations to school personnel about library programs and services during the school year. (2013) 9. Present 10 in-house, school age programs during the school year. (annually) 10. Offer 16 school age programs during Summer Reading. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($108,000) 2. Supplies ($900) 3. Other Services and Charges ($150) 4. Make Career Choices: Job and Career Development Adults and teens will have the skills and resources they need to identify career opportunities that suit their individual strengths and interests. Goal A: The Library will support local job development for adults and teens by supplying information, services, and resources that enhance skills and assist in the identification of career opportunities. 1. Objective: Provide information, services, and resources to assist adults and teens with job searching. Activities: 1. Purchase books on job searching and careers. (annually) 2. Subscribe to Reference USA. (annually) 3. Partner with other organizations/individuals to provide programs on appropriate topics. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($13,000) 2. Supplies ($3,000) 3. Capital Outlays ($462) 2. Objective: Provide a non-threatening environment for job seekers to receive one-on-one assistance with resume writing and interview skills. Activities: 1. Provide meeting room space for practice interviews. (annually) 2. Provide basic computer skills classes. (annually) 3. Partner with other organizations/individuals to provide appropriate programs. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($3,000) 5. Make Informed Decisions: Health, Wealth, and Other Life Choices Residents will have the resources they need to identify and analyze risks, benefits, and alternatives before making decisions that affect their lives. Goal A: Provide space and opportunities for local agencies to provide services and information to the community for improved accessibility to health initiatives. 1. Objective: APL will partner with local organizations to provide current health information and limited services. Activities: 1. Partner with the Madison County Health Department to provide space for flu shot administration to the community. (annually) 2. Partner with the East Central Indiana Dental Hygienist’s Association to plan a Dental Fair for children’s dental screening in the Children’s department. (annually) 3. Partner with United Way to offer at least two workshops for at-risk families highlighting health insurance options and healthy lifestyles. (2013) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($1,000) 2. Objective: The Library will seek partnerships for providing programs on community issues. Activities: 1. Host the Third House sessions in partnership with the Madison County Chamber and the League of Women Voters. (annually) 2. Offer programs targeted at senior citizens on topics such as healthy aging and wills and trusts four times a year. (annually) 3. Partner with Pendleton Community Library and United Way to offer financial literacy programs for all age groups two times a year. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget Personal Services ($1,200) 6. Succeed in School: Homework Help Students will have the resources they need to succeed in school. Goal A: Strengthen partnerships with Anderson Community School Corporation and Frankton-Lapel Schools. 1. Objective: The Library will partner with the schools to promote the use of homework-related library resources. Activities: 1. Expand our Homework Help webpage with resources to help with common homework assignments at each grade level. (2013) 2. Ask the Anderson Community School Corporation and Frankton-Lapel Schools to provide a link to APL’s Homework Help webpage on their school websites. (2013) 3. Promote the use of the library for homework help during teen and children’s school outreach programs. (2013) 4. Create a flyer for parents promoting library programs and services and leave at school offices for parents. (2013) 5. Participate in teacher meetings and promote our services. (2013) 6. Contact schools to get copies of Accelerated Reader and Reading Counts books. (2013) 7. Compile a list of local tutors to provide to library customers. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($5,000) 2. Supplies ($500) 2. Objective: Increase school success by encouraging reading for pleasure. Activities: 1. Offer three reading promotions aimed at school age children. (annually) 2. Offer a Read ‘n Feed program for fourth and fifth graders. (2014) 3. Partner with elementary school librarians to encourage self-directed pleasure reading. (annually) 4. Give books away at Kindergarten Camps and the Back to School Bash. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($12,000) 2. Supplies ($5,200) 7. Visit a Comfortable Place: Physical and Virtual Spaces Residents will have safe and welcoming physical places to meet and interact with others or to sit quietly and read and will have open and accessible virtual spaces that support social networking. Goal A: Residents will have safe and welcoming places to meet and interact with others. 1. Objective: Provide quiet study space for individuals and meeting rooms for groups. Activities: 1. Continue to provide meeting rooms for public use. 2. Consider developing small, private spaces to be used for activities like tutoring or one-on-one meetings. 3. Continue to upgrade public meeting spaces to accommodate new technologies. 4. Maintain the vending area. 5. Explore front-facing bin shelving for children’s picture books. (2014) 6. Consider developing parenting areas in the children’s department. (2014) 7. Create an area for nursing mothers. (2013) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($6,000) 2. Capital Outlays ($5,000) 2. Objective: Provide a dedicated space for teens where they can participate in fun, interesting, up-to-date library activities. Activities: 1. Explore redesigning teen areas with input from Teen staff and teens. (2014) 2. Visit all local middle schools and high schools to conduct booktalks, promote books and teen programming, and encourage library use. (annually) 3. Create four teen-specific displays. (annually) 4. Host at least one teen author event. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($7,500) Goal B: Residents will have accessible electronic resources and virtual spaces that support social networking. 1. Objective: All Library users will find new technologies and collections that engage personal interests and reflect current trends. Activities: 1. Allocated at least 16% of the Library budget for materials. (annually) 2. Monitor emerging technologies and practices to stay aware of state-of–the-art hardware and software applications that the Library can implement to benefit the community. (ongoing) 3. Provide and maintain wireless Internet access, a public scanner, and one public access computer for every 1,000 people in APL’s service district per requirements for the “Enhanced” level of the Indiana State Library Eligibility Standards. (annually) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($551,343) 2. Capital Outlays ($2,087,610) 3. Library Improvement Reserve Funds ($104,630) 2. Objective: The Library will keep the eBranch current and fresh for use 24/7 from any location. Activities: 1. Maintain all of the Library’s social networking sites with up-to-date information. (ongoing) 2. Continually evaluate new social networking sites and apps for relevancy and applicability for the eBranch. (ongoing) 3. Create and implement apps for customer mobile device use. (2014) Financial Resources Required: Operating Budget 1. Personal Services ($5,000) 2. Supplies ($5,000) C. Assessment of Facilities, Services, Technology, and Operations Facilities: At our Main building, we are currently using our public meeting rooms for programs. We are in competition with our customers for our own space. This has caused us to miss out on programming opportunities in the past because our rooms were already booked by outside groups. We need flexible programming space, so we are working with a local architect on a space study. Proposed changes using LIRF and Rainy Day funds: 2012: HVAC control upgrade Replace the carpet in the lobby of Main Replace/upgrade lighting at Main in reading area and add fans Retrofit emergency lights with LEDs Create programming space 2013: As LED technology improves, replace lighting at Main and Lapel Continue with building changes per the space study 2014: Upgrade parking lot lights at Main with LEDs Remodel Main lobby restrooms Continue with building changes per the space study Services: We offer Interlibrary Loan to our customers and we participate in the statewide delivery program. We offer a Summer Reading Program at both locations. We meet the exceptional level for programs offered. We budget 16% of our operating budget for our collections, which meets the enhanced level. We offer collections of books, AV, electronic media, and databases. We will monitor our financial situation and, if possible, increase our materials budget to 20% to meet the exceptional level. Technology: We provide 87 public computers, which meets the enhanced level of service. We offer a public fax machine at each location, and we have 2 public scanners at Main. We are working with eKeeperSYSTEMS to upgrade our backup process, disaster recovery, business continuity, network security and management, and organization-wide anti-virus. In 2012, we will reduce the number of servers we have by moving to a Hyper-V Host. LIRF money will be used for these upgrades. Operations: We will continue to monitor our financial situation and, if feasible, increase open hours at Main and Lapel. We are currently operating at the basic level. D. Evaluation ProcessThis plan will be reviewed yearly at the Library Board’s annual meeting. The assessment and financial resource sections will be evaluated during the budget process and modified accordingly. All revisions will be submitted to the State Library within one month of the Board’s annual meeting. The Board will receive quarterly updates during each plan year regarding our progress. E. Financial Resources and SustainabilityThe financial information for each goal is listed above. Our property tax receipts, COIT, and other revenue will be sufficient to fund the plan.We have a healthy Operating Balance, LIRF, and Rainy Day Funds to use for any remodeling projects approved by the Board based on the space study. F. Collaboration with Other Library Organizations and Community Partners Library Organizations1. Anderson Public Library will maintain our memberships with the following library organizations: OCLC, MCLS, and ILF. 2. Anderson Public Library will partner with Pendleton Community Library to offer financial literacy programs. 3.Anderson Public Library will continue to send staff to ILF conferences and workshops. We will continue to pay the member rate for staff to attend these professional development sessions. 4. Anderson Public Library will seek opportunities to share programming such as author events and performers with other libraries when feasible to offset costs. Community Partners Anderson Public Library will collaborate with various agencies as we begin work on the activities in this plan. Potential partners are: 1. Network 101, WorkOne, and Anderson University (Service Response: Make Career Choices). 2. Madison County Health Department, East Central Indiana Dental Hygienist’s Association, United Way, Madison County Chamber, and League of Women Voters (Service Response: Make Informed Decisions). 3. Anderson Community School Corporation and Frankton-Lapel Schools (Service Response: Create Young Readers). 4. Flagship Enterprise, SCORE, Small Business Association (Service Response: Build Successful Enterprises). Adopted by the Board of Trustees 10/14/12
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